Although similar to the South African Buffel, it is built entirely by the Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (SLEME).

Initial research and development started in 1997 in an effort to field modernized MRAPs in Sri Lankan military service.

[3] In 2019, SLEME began to upgrade Unibuffels with blast shock absorption seats and better protection.

[4][5] The Unibuffel proved quite successful in the Sri Lankan civil war, it could transport troops through rough terrain with ease, and had good protection, it participated in all Sri Lankan Army operations 2005 onwards.

When Sri Lankan troops joined United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Haiti, 16 Unibuffels was deployed to serve as their APC.